Rosneft might acquire 25% of TNK-BP shares for USD10-15 billion

(chemmonitor) -- BP is in talks with Rosneft that may result in the British oil major acquiring at least 12.5% of the Russian state oil firm, the Kommersant financial daily reported on Thursday, citing sources close to the two companies.

BP's acquisition of Rosneft shares would take place as part of a deal under discussion to sell BP's 50% stake in Anglo-Russian oil venture TNK-BP, Russia's No.3 oil firm.

Rosneft is looking at buying 25% of TNK-BP's shares for USD10-USD15 billion in cash, with another 25% to be acquired with Rosneft shares, Kommersant wrote. It also reported that Rosneft planned to use treasury shares representing 9.53% of its equity, as well as shares acquired in a recent buy-back, worth just over 3% of its equity.
Rosneft declined immediate comment on the Kommersant report.

The details published in Kommersant follow a meeting on Tuesday between President Vladimir Putin, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, BP's Chief Executive Robert Dudley and Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg. Sources close to both companies said on Wednesday that talks were progressing but played down expectations of an imminent breakthrough.

The co-owners of TNK-BP, a quartet of Soviet-born tycoons represented by the AAR consortium, have also expressed interest in buying 25% of the company from BP for USD10 billion, but talks have stalled, sources familiar with the matter say.

Under a shareholders agreement, third parties may not strike a deal to buy BP's stake in TNK-BP before a mid-October deadline expires.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) – In August, Russian makers reduced PVC output by 15% from July to 40,700 tonnes. The year-to-date total PVC production in Russia made about 410,000 tonnes, report MRC analysts.

Russian producers expectedly slashed PVC production in August on scheduled outages at SayanskKhimPlast and Kaustik (Sterlitamak) - two major producers. Last month the total PVC production made about 40,700 tonnes, down 15% from July.

Kaustik (Sterlitamak), the second largest PVC producer in the Russian Federation, has shut its suspension PVC production for a two-week turnaround from July 17. The annual capacity of the plant makes 180,000 tonnes. The PVC production had been resumed by August 4. In August, the production volume made about 15,400 tonnes. SayanskKhimPlast began its outage for a four-week maintenance in mid-August. In August, the facility managed to produce about 12,400 tonnes of suspension PVC. The output of PVC at Kaustik (Volgograd) and SIBUR-Neftekhim remained without any significant changes last month compared to July.

The only producer of emulsion PVC in Russia - Khimprom (Volgograd) manufactured in August slightly more than 2,900 tonnes of the resin.

A significant growth of PVC production from Russian makers is not expected in September. SayanskKhimplast resumed the resin production only at the end of last week after the outage for a scheduled maintenance. Kaustik (Sterlitamak) shut its production twice in September following the problems at the ethylene pipeline. At the end of last week the plant resumed PVC production, but not with 100% capacity utilization. According to unofficial information, Kaustik (Sterlitamak) is going to work with the reduced capacity utilization till late September due to restrictions in ethylene supplies.

In general, over the past eight months the total PVC production by Russian producers made about 410,000 tonnes, up 11% year-on-year. The production volume of suspension PVC grew by 11% and made about 395’000 tonnes. The main increase of production volumes was due to Kaustik (Sterlitamak) and SayanskKhimPlast. The output of emulsion PVC decreased by 4% to 14,100 tonnes.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) – In August, Russian makers increased the PP output to 62,000 tonnes, up 19% from July. The growth of production volumes was due to the increase of capacity utilization of Russian producers, report MRC analysts.
Last month the total PP production by Russian makers grew by 19% from July and made about 62,000 tonnes. Stavrolen, Ufaorgsintez and Tomskneftekhim increased PP production volumes in August.

Stavrolen stopped its PP production for a 10-days' maintenance in July, which resulted in the reduced output of 7,200 tonnes. In August, the plant increased its production up to 10,200 tonnes.

Ufaorgsintez shut production for a 10-days’ turnaround in mid-July. Last month the plant exceeded nominal capacities and manufactured about 11,300 tonnes of PP.

Tomskneftekhim had to shut its PP production for a couple of days following the problems at the ethylene complex. In August, the unit increased its production up to 12,700 tonnes due to homopolymer PP output.
In general, in January-August, the total PP production in Russia made slightly more than 436,000 tonnes, down 4% year-on-year. In September, decline in production is expected at four plants: Neftekhimia (a scheduled 25-days’ maintenance from September 21), Nizhnekamskneftekhim (a scheduled weekly maintenance), Stavrolen (temporary absence of PP), Tomskneftekhim (a scheduled 4-days’ maintenance).

MRC

(Dow) -- Dow has announced recently its attitude to shale gas prospects and explained how the economies can benefit from this recourse, including increasing national energy security; sparking stronger economic growth; facilitating exports of value-added products; and fueling lower utility bills for consumers.

"Access to shale gas is important for manufacturing - and especially the chemical industry. However we are not only customers for shale gas, we also have the potential to contribute to the safe and sustainable production of shale gas - through educational efforts and chemical solutions by leveraging the most advanced and sustainable microbial control technologies for shale gas exploration," highlighted Robert Stankiewicz, Country Manager of Dow in Poland.

As MRC reported earlier, three major chemical companies: Dow Chemical, Formosa Plastics, and Chevron Phillips Chemica,l had recently unveiled their expansion plans in North America basing on deposits in the Marcellus Shale Formation in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. One of the upcoming projects of Dow Chemical basing on attractive price of shale gas is propylene project in Freeport, Texas.
MRC

(chemmonitor) -- The Huston-headquartered US company PetroLogistics LP (PDH) is planning to increase the capacity of the factory at Houston site in line with reducing inventories of propylene. Moreover, another US chemical company also intends to put up similar plants in the USA.

The company intends to increase a number of combustion units at the plant generating propylene. The final decision considering the investment of the project has not been reached.

PetroLogistics LP is a major producer of propylene and is the only independent dedicated propylene producer in the United States. PetroLogistics LP owns and operates the world’s largest propane dehydrogenation facility, based on production capacity, strategically located on the Houston Ship Channel with direct and indirect access to approximately 1/2 of U.S. propylene consumption.
MRC